BEIJING, Nov 25: French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived here on Sunday seeking to boost trade and bilateral ties while addressing key international issues including the environment and Iran.

During the three-day state visit, his first to China since taking office in May, Sarkozy is also expected to deepen political relations between Paris and Beijing.

“We would like to establish strong relations with China at a moment when relations between Beijing and certain Western countries have become more tense,” an official in Sarkozy’s office said ahead of the visit.

The reference appears to be to ties between China and Germany, damaged by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s September meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing views as a dangerous separatist.

International issues including the environment, human rights, and the nuclear standoff with Iran are also expected to come up in talks, according to French officials.

Prior to his departure from Paris, Sarkozy told the Chinese news agency Xinhua that an Iran with nuclear weapons was unacceptable.

“France is counting on China’s engagement and firmness on this issue,” he was quoted as saying.

The president arrived on Sunday in Xian, an ancient city southeast of Beijing that was the former capital of China under Qinshi Huangdi, credited as the first emperor to unify the country around 200 BC.

After a brief tourism stop Sarkozy flew to the capital for a dinner appointment with President Hu Jintao. He will then address French business leaders here.

A formal welcoming ceremony will be held Monday, after which the official part of the tour will begin. It will include further talks with President Hu as well as meetings with China’s top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

The French president hopes to oversee the signing of several major deals, including in nuclear energy and air transport, said his spokesman David Martinon.

Nuclear giant Areva and engineering conglomerate Alstom hope to conclude the sale of two new generation pressurised water nuclear reactors. Chinese airlines could place orders for up to 150 Airbus jets, the French daily La Tribune reported on Friday.

French utility Electricite de France is also working towards an investment with its Chinese partner CGNPC in nuclear reactors.

“We want to establish a harmonious and just relationship between the dollar, euro, yen and yuan,” said an official from Sarkozy’s office.

Sarkozy’s delegation includes seven ministers and top officials, though not the foreign ministry’s top human rights official, Rama Yade.

The environment is also among key issues the president will address during the trip. China is second only to the United States in greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global warming.

Top French companies were ready to share cutting-edge technologies with China on improving energy efficiency, said Jean-David Levitte, a diplomatic advisor to Sarkozy.

Sarkozy will talk about the environment at Beijing’s Qinghua University on Tuesday, when he will also tour sites for the 2008 Olympic Games prior to heading to Shanghai to conclude his trip.

—AFP